Enhanced Triboelectric Microplasma with Incorporated Drainage Electrode

Area of Science:

• Plasma Physics
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Atmospheric pressure microplasma jets (APMJ) offer diverse applications but are limited by bulky, costly, and hazardous commercial devices.
• Developing portable, safe, and cost-effective APMJ systems is crucial for broader adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and characterize a novel APMJ system utilizing a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) powered by a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG).
• To optimize electrode design and incorporate a drainage electrode for enhanced APMJ performance.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of four electrode configurations for triboelectric microplasma generation.
• Experimental investigation of electrode structural parameters on spectral intensity and discharge current.
• Theoretical analysis and simulation of electric field and potential distributions.
• Evaluation of APMJ performance enhancement with an additional drainage electrode.

Main Results:

• A ring electrode surrounding the capillary and a central wire electrode configuration demonstrated optimal performance.
• The addition of a drainage electrode significantly increased spectral intensity by 53.1% and flame length by 35.7%.
• Optimized APMJ exhibits improved portability, safety, and cost-effectiveness compared to conventional devices.

Conclusions:

• The TENG-powered DBD microplasma system offers a viable alternative to conventional APMJ devices.
• The proposed APMJ demonstrates significant potential for biomedical applications, including cell processing, sterilization, and wound disinfection.